Mr. Speaker, delays in passing legislative changes to improve the rail transportation system are entirely of the Liberals' own making. They wasted over a year between receiving the Emerson report and introducing Bill C-49. Now the Liberals are rejecting the simple amendments that would improve the legislation for grain shippers.

Mr. Speaker, this may well be the strangest question you will hear today, but when will the government stop messing around and pass its own bill?

Mr. Speaker, I certainly hope that with the co-operation of the Harper Conservatives, we are going to be able to do it as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, they do not know whether they are coming or going. Last November they actually voted against Bill C-49. For 10 long years they had a chance to demonstrate initiative by modernizing freight rail legislation. Did they do it? No, they were totally absent.

Mr. Speaker, the National Research Council plays a vital role in research and innovation by developing exciting innovations that help create and develop jobs and improve the health system for all Canadians.

From their work developing canola, an industry that employs over 250,000 Canadians, to their efforts to develop green technologies, the NRC researchers are essential to growing the Canadian economy.

Could the minister tell us how our government is supporting the NRC in the important work it is doing for Canadians?

Kirsty DuncanLiberalMinister of Science and Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to supporting research and innovation. I want to thank the member for Ottawa—Vanier for her staunch defence of research in Canada.

The NRC plays an essential role in developing new technologies that improve the lives of Canadians. Budget 2018 invested $540 million in the NRC to promote discovery research and to increase research collaboration with academic and industrial partners.

Mr. Speaker, Liberals have called the Iranian government elected, but the people of Iran and of the region know that this regime is the leading sponsor of global terror, murder, and violence. While this regime continues to deny responsibility for the murder of Canadians, the Liberal government is helping Iranian officials shop for aircraft, with high-level meetings here in Ottawa. Selling aircraft may be good for the shareholders of Bombardier, but how does it help the many victims?

When will the government take off the rose-coloured glasses and end its failed appeasement policy?

Mr. Speaker, as long as Maryam Mombeini is not able to leave Iran, the focus of any discussions with Iran will be on getting her home to Canada. I have raised Mrs. Mombeini's situation directly with Iran's ambassador to the UN. I will continue, and our government will continue, to demand answers from the government of Iran on the circumstances surrounding the detention and death of her late husband, professor Seyed-Emami.

Human rights are important to us around the world, very much including in Iran.

Mr. Speaker, last week, in light of concerns about the new central vote in the main estimates, I asked the President of the Treasury Board for a take-note debate on that matter. Today the Parliamentary Budget Officer confirmed that the vote is riddled with problems that pose serious challenges to parliamentary oversight of government spending.

In light of those concerns, in light of the fact that it is wrong for the government to make unilateral changes to the foundations of Parliament, instead of making it look like the government has something to hide, will the minister today commit to having a take-note debate in the House on that matter?

Mr. Speaker, our government respects the work of the Parliamentary Budget Officer. In fact, I spoke with him earlier today, and I discussed with him the fact that this is the first time ever that when MPs are voting on the main estimates, they will know, initiative by initiative, where the budget money is going. This is a huge step forward in terms of parliamentary oversight.

We have been very clear that the government is bound by the amounts listed in the allocation for each budget initiative, for instance in Table A2.11. To increase any of these initiatives would require further approval by Parliament through the supplementary estimates process.

Mr. Speaker, 2017 was the best year ever for tourism in Canada. Close to 21 million tourists visited our country from all over the world, including more than 680,000 visitors from China, which was also a new record.

Bardish ChaggerLiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister of Small Business and Tourism

Mr. Speaker, 2018 is the Canada-China Year of Tourism, and it began with opening ceremonies right here in Canada. As part of our tourism vision, we are committed to doubling the number of Chinese visitors to Canada by 2021. Chinese tourists tend to spend more than the average visitor, so it is a great opportunity for our tourism operators, most of which are small businesses.

This year we will invest $11 million to reach interested Chinese travellers and to support our tourism operators as they welcome more Chinese visitors to cities across Canada. Thanks in part to this investment and members like the member for Steveston—Richmond East, we expect these numbers to continue growing.

Mr. Speaker, upholding the integrity of our elections is paramount to our democracy. Canadians are required to show ID to obtain a library card or to rent a car, but the Liberals do not seem to think that ID should be required to vote. The Liberals want to use voter information cards as a proof of address, when in the last election, nearly one million erroneous cards were mailed out.

Why is the government going to require people to show photo ID to buy marijuana but not in order to vote?

Mr. Speaker, when the Conservatives, in their so-called Fair Elections Act, took away vouching and took away voter identification cards, they were warned by hundreds of experts that it would suppress the vote and reduce participation in the Canadian election. They went ahead anyway.

In the 2015 election, according to Statistics Canada, over 170,000 Canadians were unable to vote. That is why Elections Canada recommended the restoration of both voter identification cards and vouching. That is what we are doing. Unlike the Conservatives, we think democracy is stronger when more Canadians participate in it.

Mr. Speaker, on October 17, I introduced Bill C-372 to protect retired workers' pension funds and group insurance plans. The NDP tabled a similar bill. The Liberal Party convention voted in favour of similar measures. Even the Leader of the Opposition voted for a bill similar to mine in 2010. Let us put an end to injustice.

Since today is May 1, will the government pledge to protect our workers' pension funds before the next election? Yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear when it comes to pensions and strengthening pensions that this is a priority. That is why in the budget we clearly outlined a plan to make sure that we have a process in place to secure pensions. This has been a priority for our government. We also strengthened and enhanced the CPP.

We will continue to work with members opposite to strengthen our pension system.

Also with us are the winners of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Brockhouse Canada Prize for Interdisciplinary Research in Science and Engineering, Synergy Awards for Innovation, Steacie Memorial Fellowships, and Gilles Brassard Doctoral Prize for Interdisciplinary Research.

I have the honour to inform the House that a communication has been received as follows:

Rideau Hall Ottawa

May 1, 2018

Mr. Speaker:

I have the honour to inform you that the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada, signified royal assent by written declaration to the bill listed in the Schedule to this letter on the 1st day of May, 2018, at 10:55 a.m.